Twisted Fates
by CatG0d
Summary: An outbreak has come. A new virus. And the only one who can save the world is one man- and only one woman has been given the task in retrieving him. ((This is my own interpretation of Jake's Campaign))
1. Chapter I: Operation

Preface

They say that one's fate is closely bound to another's, so their meeting would be inevitable. Some people don't believe in this fact. Somewhere, a young teenage boy is grieving over the loss of his mother. All hope for him is lost. His heart has hardened and his only meaning for existence is to earn money and waste away in it. All ideals of fate are completely thrown out the window. Years pass and with each passing day, the void in his heart grows stronger, and the only thing to fill it is with money. But alas, money is soon to be spent, and the void in his heart inevitably comes back.

Somewhere, a young woman is locked up in a facility where tests are done on her blood. She only has one friend in the world, and the closest man in her life is her "adoptive" father. She dreams and hopes for a brighter future without being in a testing room. No more pain. No more sorrow. Just freedom. Now, her only hope to be free of all the tests, is to work for her advisor. She has been given a mission. A mission to retrieve a man whose blood could save the world. This is her only chance of being in the outside world- of being on her own.

An outbreak has come. A new virus. And the only one who can save the world is one man- and only one woman has been given the task in retrieving him.

Chapter One

Operation

In the abandoned building, a man sombers his way through, whistling a small tune. He didn't really remember where he had heard it before, or really what the song was called. The redhead held an apple in one hand and with his other, rubbed the short hairs on top of his buzzed head. He slumped against the wall, dragging his back down the surface until he was in the sitting position. Only then, did he stop whistling, holding up a syringe that he had obtained earlier.

_Don't worry, it'll only give you the energy you need to keep fighting. That's what you want, right?_

That was what that woman had said earlier. Hell, what did he have to lose? With that, he brought the short needle to his neck, injecting the fluid into his bloodstream. Once it was depleted, he removed it from his skin with a grunt.

He waited.

Nothing.

The man tsked to himself, shaking his head in disappointment. As he did, he heard one of his comrades coming into the room. Without looking, he only raised the empty syringe with intense eyes, "This stuff doing anything for you yet?" He examined the item, twining it between his fingers, "Supposed to be some kind of energy booster, but..." The man let his words hang for a moment before he flicked the useless piece of shit across the room.

"... I don't feel any different." He said, getting up, unaware of how close his comrade was getting, also that he wasn't responding. The redhead gestured to him, "You know, between me and you," he said, tossing the apple in the air, catching it in the palm of his hand with a light scoff, "I think we shoulda asked for more money-"

As he said that, his comrade swung a knife at him, completely cutting the apple in his hand in half. His eyes shot up, finally catching a glimpse of the mutated man who used to be his partner. From the swing of the knife, it got stuck in the wall, and the mutated man grunted as he tried pulling it away. Irritated, he squeezed the piece of fruit in his hand before murmuring, "A lot more."

After he spoke, he threw what was left of the apple just after the man swung at him again. This time, his hand grasped the other's before he could cause any damage. "I'm pretty sure this wasn't part of the contract." He yanked the other man's arm down, pulling it behind his back until he lost grasp of the knife, and the redhead threw his knee up, hitting the other's face.

He kicked him hard in the chest, sending his enemy flying into the wall. But he wasn't done yet. No, he was already in pursuit of him, and he grabbed the mutated man's face as he fought to be free of him.

"... But I am willing the renegotiate."

His next move came in a barrage of fists, kicking the other man in the knee so he came down. But his enemy came back like nothing had happened. His knee should have been completely shattered. The redhead kept hitting him, and with one last thrash, he grabbed the other man and threw him, kicking his leg up as he caught him mid-fall, pinned to the wall.

He hmphed with satisfaction, letting him go as his body began to spark into small flames, ashing away into nothing. A woman's voice caught his attention next.

"Did you take your dose?" She said.

The man looked at her, observing her for a moment. She had short blonde hair, and captivating, ice blue eyes. "... Yeah." He mused for a second, keeping his eyes on her, "But you gotta sign up with the lady downstairs." The crackling of the embers that was left of his old comrade quieted the room. "Wouldn't recommend it, though."

She glanced down at her watch, "No question," The woman made her way over to a shaft in the wall, "You've got the antibodies."

He scoffed with satisfaction, "Thank you very much-" It took a moment for what she said to register, "-Wait, what?"

"You could be the key to saving this world, Jake Muller."

Jake cocked his head, smirking in disbelief at her words, not believing what the hell she was saying. Some crazy nut, maybe. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing more of those roided out freaks barging in. He offered her another smirk, "Better save myself first." Jake said before sending himself down the shaft and away from harm. He wasn't sure if she was going to follow, although it wouldn't matter to him if she didn't.

He landed swiftly on his feet, water splashing up from underneath him. That same woman came down closely afterwords, but her landing wasn't as graceful.

"Smooth." He teased.

She sighed, clearing her throat as she ignored his comment. The blonde reached in her coat pocket as she showed him her ID, "Sherry Birkin. National-"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get the hell outta here, alright?" So her name was Sherry, then? And she was obviously working for the United States. From what he had heard about them, that country was nothing but trouble. Full of conspiracy and lies. Just what he needed.

The woman now known as Sherry gestured to him, "After you." And she began walking, finding their way out of the sewers.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is the only moment in this story where the chapter is going to be almost exactly what happened in the game. I thought their meeting was just too perfect, and I didn't want to change it. Be expecting more very, very soon! It feels good to be writing again. This story is going to be my very own interpretation of Jake's campaign, so I hope you all like it!


	2. Chapter II: Negotiation

Chapter Two

Negotiation

"Man, it's like fucking chaos out here!" Jake exclaimed out loud, watching as the B.S.A.A. fought with his old comrades, who were no longer human. What the hell was going on here, anyway? Nothing he wanted to be apart of.

The woman now known as Agent Sherry Birkin stood at his side as they watched from a safe distance what was going on outside.

There was silence, aside from the explosions and gunfire in the distance until Jake spoke up, "So, what was all that earlier about me having antibodies?" He asked.

Sherry stood there, turning toward him with a hard stare, "Those... things that attacked us. They were all exposed to a new virus called the C-Virus. You carry antibodies in your blood that we can use to create a vaccine."

Jake huffed out a laugh, "Funny."

"This isn't a joke, Jake!" She urged, "The C-Virus was in that strain you took a dose of earlier. You didn't mutate because you've got the antibodies."

He was silent, bringing his hand to his neck as he looked at the ground at Sherry's feet as he pondered. If he really did have these antibodies, how did he come about having them? What made him so special, anyway?

"We need you, Jake." Sherry told him, "We need your blood."

The mercenary stood there, pondering at the thought. If he was the only hope for this chaos to come to an end, maybe he would use this opportunity to his advantage. After letting Sherry's words hand in the empty building, Jake finally spoke up.

"Fifty million dollars." He said simply.

Sherry took a double take, "What?" She asked in a harsh tone, almost as if he had slapped her in the face.

He offered a smirk, "Ya heard me. I ain't giving you shit unless I get my money."

"Do you realize what's at stake here?!" The blonde interjected, stepping forward as if she was going to hit him. Jake took an automatic step back, "We're in the middle of a war with bioterrorism and we needed a vaccine _yesterday_. This is something bigger than you and me both, and all you seem to think about is money." She stared hard at him, shaking her head as she looked away, "All you mercenaries are the same."

Her words struck a nerve, but Jake shook it off. She had no idea. She had no _fucking_ clue. Ignoring what she said, he looked off outside, "My offer still stands. Either I get my fifty million and I save your sorry asses, or... You know."

After he spoke, he looked at her with the same smart-ass look he normally gave people when he knew he was going to get what he wanted. Sherry knew that there was no getting around him, but this didn't mean she was ever going to respect him as a human being.

"Fine." She hissed, defeated, "I'll talk to my boss. Maybe we can settle an agreement."

Jake smirked with satisfaction, "That's more like it." And he side-stepped away from her, making his way to the door. Sherry silently followed him until they were in a larger, colder room. She didn't speak at all until they got to the doors so they could leave.

Out of the blue, the ground began to shake below them as footsteps approached. As the two spun around, they gazed upon a horrifying creature- a BOW with a mechanical arm now quickening its steps to get to Jake and Sherry.

"-Jake, run!" The blonde urged, grabbing his sleeve as she pushed the door open so they could make their escape. His attention was on the BOW, staring at it with shock, until her touch snapped him out of his daze, quickly hopping his step before following Sherry in her escape.

Although Jake couldn't see the thing, he could hear its fast footsteps closing in on them as it thrashed, pushing whatever was in its way. "Jesus, this thing's strong!" He exclaimed in the heat of its pursuit.

Soon after he spoke, the girl next to him tripped on a scrap of metal, falling down shortly after. Jake came to a halt, turning around to see her on the ground, and the creature coming in fast. There was no time for thinking, almost not even for blinking to make a decision. He dashed towards Sherry, grabbing her arm and pulling her up as he began running again.

It took Sherry a moment to get her balance back, and the creature was right on their tail. They came to an edge with a loosely-made contraption below, "Jump!" Sherry cried out, and they hopped off, landing hard on the wooden planks. The creature came down soon after, sending Sherry flying further away from Jake, and wooden pieces everywhere.

"Jake!" She yelled as she caught onto a pipe, dangling from a long fall.

He grumbled, struggling to get on his feet as he dashed towards her again, "Damn, this is starting to feel like work." Jake exclaimed as he jumped, crashing into her and holding onto her fragile figure as they went through a window, landing hard on the ground.

Once the two of them recovered, Jake let out a loud shout, "What the hell _was_ that thing?!"

Sherry stood up, rubbing her backside, "That thing is called Ustanak. Its a bioweapon created by Neo-Umbrella, and its set on trying to capture you."

"Neo-Umbrella? Never heard of 'em." Jake commented, "What the hell would they want with me?"

"They want to capture you so they can prevent a vaccine from being created. Or to make the virus stronger. Or both." The two reached a door, opening it as cold air came rushing out at them, "But I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Jake. The world needs you."

He knew that Sherry wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, that it was just her mission to retrieve him. The world needed him? Nah, just his blood. No one cared about Jake Muller. No, no, no, he was just a lowly mercenary.

"You could have gotten yourself killed, you know." Sherry spoke up after Jake's lack of response.

Her words caught his attention, "Huh?"

She looked at him, "When we were running from Ustanak. You could have just left me there. You could have just ran." Jake knew where she was going with this, and he didn't like it.

"Yeah, well, if I did, I would have no chance of getting my fifty million."

He didn't want her getting the wrong idea. This was all for money, nothing more. Yeah, he could have left her for dead, but that would have been completely immoral. That wasn't the kind of person Jake was. He wasn't _completely_ heartless.

Sherry frowned, "You're really an ass, you know that?"

Somewhere, Sherry knew that Jake was putting up a front. She could see it in his eyes. He thought that he had her fooled, but she wasn't an idiot. Jake was just a tortured soul, that maybe went through a traumatic experience that now leaves him with little compassion for anyone around him. He wasn't the person he wanted everyone to think he was.

Jake shook off her insult, satisfied she was going to drop the subject, when they spotted vehicles up ahead with the BSAA emblem on the side.

* * *

**Author's Note**: How do you guys like my spin on Jake's campaign so far? I added a few things from the actual story to make everything else come together. :) The next chapter will be coming in about a week, so stay tuned! This story is pretty one-shot, so sorry if it sucks. orz


	3. Chapter III: Same Old Song and Dance

Chapter Three

Same Old Song and Dance

Jake drew his weapon when he saw the BSAA emblem on the soldier's sleeves, pointing it in their direction. A switch went off in Sherry's head, kicking her into high gear once the soldiers caught sight of Jake. She immediatley pulled her ID out, opening it so the soldiers could see.

"Sherry Birkin," She shouted, "National Security."

The mercenary tensed up from behind her, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ignoring him, she stepped forward, heading towards the crowd of BSAA soldiers. Jake, forced to put away his weapon, quickened his steps to a slow jog as he caught up with her.

A built man emerged from the crowd, holding an assault rifle in his hands as his eyes found the blonde, "Sherry Birkin?" He repeated, the gears working in his head, "You were in Raccoon City."

She paused, her icy blue eyes finding the other man's brown ones. "... How did you know that?" Sherry asked, perplexed.

Meanwhile, Jake leaned against a car, folding his arms as he scowled at the ground.

"Claire." He said simply with a small smile on his face.

"Wait," Sherry said with a hint of realization in her voice, stepping forward as her hand raised slightly in front of her, "Are you Chris?"

His smile spread further on his face, "My sister has told me a lot about you."

Annoyance spread quickly through Jake, and he pushed himself off the car, "Yeah, yeah, enough with this reunion already. No one really gives a shit." He sighed, "Not me, anyway." Jake huffed under his breath. Why was he so annoyed, anyway?

At his words, Sherry turned around, while everyone's attention was drawn to him. He saw someone approach the so-called Chris. "Captain, that man is a wanted insurgent."

The blonde, seeing where this was going, turned back to face the BSAA agents, "Yes, I know, he is a mercenary, but I promise you that he is no threat to the BSAA. He's under the protection of the US Government."

Jake brushed off his shoulder, scoffing as he folded his arms again as his back leaned against the car once more, "Unless someone pays me to be."

"What did you just say?!" The younger male exclaimed, stepping forward with his assault rifle pointed at Jake. In retaliation, he reached for the pistol in his holster, but a hand was hard on his wrist before he could pull out the gun.

"-Jake, don't!" Sherry urged, her eyes locked on his. "Please." She said in a more hushed tone.

The mercenary stared at her, his eyebrows pulling together as he seemed to of gave in to her stare. Jake sighed with annoyance as he removed his hand from the handle of the gun, breaking gazes from her. She offered a quiet thank you before she turned away.

Jake looked back to see Chris staring at him, almost as if he was observing him. "What?" He asked, annoyed.

"Nothin'." Chris simply offered.

Soon after he spoke, his radio began to speak. "HQ to Alpha Team. Reinforcements are unable to land due to anti-aircraft artillery. Take 'em out."

"Alpha Team, copy." Chris spoke into his ear piece.

The voice on the other end of the receiver began speaking again, "We're picking up a large bogey on your radar. It's headed right for you!" Just as the man on the other end said those words, a loud crash was heard. A helicopter had dropped a large BOW just a block from where they were.

An alarm went off in everyone's heads as they spun around to spot the thing, the sensitive tendons and muscles on its back exposed.

Chris's arm immediately went up, shielding Sherry. "You two need to find cover." He told her.

Just as he was about to walk away, Sherry hurried in front of the Captain, "Wait!" She cried, "I can handle myself, and you need the help!"

The Captain sighed, rubbing his neck as he turned back towards the BOW, "Alright. Let's move!"

Jake sighed with annoyance, "My chances of survival were higher when I was a soldier of fortune," He mused, mostly to himself, "You really want me to work for that money, don't you, sweetheart?"

The National Security agent shot him a hard stare over her shoulder before moving on with Chris's team, and Jake was mentally kicking himself in the ass.

_Why the hell did I just say that? _He thought, _She's only gonna hate me more now._

But none of that was his concern. All he wanted was to get his fifty million dollars and get the hell out of this place.

"Alpha Team, come in. This is Echo." Chris's receiver began speaking, "Those anti-aircraft weapons are holding us at bay."

"Roger that, Echo. We'll take care of them for you!"

The team began moving, heading to their first target. The loud, obnoxious soldier had shot the Juavo that was controlling the machine, and another soldier had placed a bomb on it. "Everyone get back!" He commanded. This kid didn't seem like the type who would be in a war against bioterrorism.

After the explosion, everyone began moving. Jake's eye was caught to the BOW. The muscles and tendons that were sticking out of its back were pulsating. Like they were sensitive.

"Hm," Jake mused to himself, reaching for his Magnum and pointing it at the BOW's back, pulling the trigger. He was right. The BOW reached for its back, crying out in pain as its arm landed on the ledge in front of him, "Looks like this is my lucky day." He said before climbing up on the BOW's arm and to its back.

"Jake!" He could hear Sherry yelling, "You'll be killed!"

The mercenary scoffed before grabbing onto a hard surface on the BOW; a spike. "Come on, have a little faith." He teased before he began pulling. Once the spike was released, he forced it into the sensitive muscles on the BOW.

He jumped off, coming into a roll and then came to his feet where Sherry and the others were. Chris looked at what Jake had done, then back to the mercenary. He could tell Chris had wanted to tell him what a good job he did, but he could tell there was something holding the Captain back.

"Let's move." Chris commanded, "Our next target is on top of that building."

The younger soldier had placed a bomb on the door so they could get in, and there were a flight of stairs for them to step onto. Once on the roof, Chris killed the Juavo manning the weapon and the bomb-expert began doing his thing again.

Juavo started coming from all directions, shooting at the soldiers, including himself and Sherry. "Sherry!" Chris exclaimed, grabbing her as his body shielded her, bringing her down.

The mercenary observed the scene, catching a hint of annoyance. Who does this guy think he is, anyway? The BSAA agents killed the rest of the Juavo, and Chris helped Sherry up on her feet. One hand in hers, and the other on her waist.

_ Watch it, lover boy. _Jake wanted to say. But why didn't he? Everything else that came out of his mouth was a simple impulse. He didn't even have to think about it, he just said it. Maybe he didn't want to risk pissing Sherry off any further.

"Alpha Team, this is HQ! We're picking up another large BOW!"

The loud soldier spoke up, "It's the one we lost at the Two of Hearts!"

Jake put his gun away, "We ain't staying here for another minute. Sherry, we need to get out of here."

"-Jake, wait!" She cried as he grabbed her wrist, about to drag her if he had to.

"He's right."

The mercenary spun around, locking eyes with the Captain. "You wanna run that by me again?" He asked, but it was more of a command.

"You're right. Being here is a danger to you and Sherry. If you're under the protection of the US Government, then you gotta be somewhat important." Chris motioned to his team, "Move out!" His attention was turned to Sherry, "There's an aircraft waiting for you just three blocks from here. We'll radio in for you once we get this last anti-aircraft artillery outta here."

"Thank you so much for your help." Sherry said.

Jake scoffed, "Yeah, yeah, let's get outta here already!"

He could tell that Sherry didn't want to leave, but with Jake and Chris agreeing with each other, she knew that there was no arguing with this one. The mercenary was tired of the same old song and dance. He wanted something more. This was Jake's chance of starting a new life- of getting everything he ever wanted. All the money he could ever want.

That was only if Sherry was able to give that to him.


	4. Chapter IV: The Dust Settles

Chapter Four

The Dust Settles

The streets of Edonia were completely different to Jake now. They were now prowled with the mindless souls of the comrades he had fought alongside. Killing was the only thing on their minds. Although, killing was a main thought in their minds, even when they were human. But that's what they were. Human.

Never again would these people return to their normal lives.

Jake and Sherry raced through the streets, keeping cover when necessary, also keeping in mind that there was a large BOW on the loose that Chris and the others had to take down. Jake could tell that Sherry didn't want to leave them to fight that thing alone, but what other choice did they have?

This aircraft Chris spoke of earlier had to of been somewhere close, since they probably had all the anti-aircraft artillery wiped out by now. That bomb-expert had his work cut out for him...

The mercenary and the agent came to a clearing, and they both paused in their tracks to take a look around.

"Well, where to?" Jake asked, throwing his hands up in frustration, but his words were cut off by bullets being showered down on them. His eyes shot up to the buildings. Juavo. They were watching them this whole time.

Bullets continued to rain down on them as Jake and Sherry pulled out their pistols and began shooting, "Come on, this is a waste of time!" She cried as she began running.

"Yeah, no shit!" Jake agreed as he followed closely behind her.

It wasn't long until they came to the aircraft that Chris had told them about, and someone was waiting for them. "You two are the ones we're supposed to escort out of here?" One of the BSAA soldiers asked.

Jake interjected, "Yeah, and let's move it! We're being shot at over here!"

The soldiers quickly went to their posts as the two of them boarded the aircraft, closing the door tightly behind them, taking off into the air.

* * *

_**Somewhere outside Edonia, Evening**_

Silence. Aside from the sounds of the aircraft running and the propellers circulating This wasn't a situation that Jake would find himself being in. Sitting there alone, across from a blonde who probably wanted to shoot him.

Right now, she was calling her superior about that offer Jake made earlier.

"Yes, I understand." She said, "Alright. We'll see you soon."

Silence. Once more.

He cleared his throat, "So, we have a deal?"

Sherry eyed him, not responding until Jake thought she was going to crush his brain with her mind, "Yes," She hissed, "We have a deal."

Despite her anger towards him, Jake could forget all that, simply because now he was a free man. Free from the responsibilities of being a mercenary. Free of all the hate, and the gunfire. Although he would never be free from the pain- or the hate. Those things, he would carry on with him forever. He carried a reminder of that on his face every day.

His hand went to his sleeve, tearing off the mercenary emblem and throwing it on the floor. "Well that was easy." He teased, mostly to himself.

Sherry was quiet for a while, watching him closely as he smiled to himself. It made him uncomfortable, her watching him like that. It was like she was observing him. Like she was itching to ask him something.

"Can I ask you something?" She spoke up.

_Jesus, here we go._

"Does it satisfy you that you're getting what you want, risking the lives of innocent people because you care too damn much about yourself?" Her icy blue eyes stared at him hard, but he did not break gazes with her. "Money and power is all you damn mercenaries seem to think about."

"You got it all wrong, sweetheart." He managed to say, keeping up his false demeanor.

She stood up, "Oh, do I? I think I've got it all right, Jake Muller. You're nothing but a low-life scumbag. A waste of oxygen. People like you make me-"

He was getting sick of her talking. Jake stood up, grabbing her coat as he stared down at her. The look in her eyes made him think that she was afraid for her life. His breath was hard, and he took a slow breath to calm himself.

No one had the guts to talk to him like that. No one. If only this woman knew who she was really talking to. What kind of a person she was dealing with. She had no fucking clue.

"You should really keep your hands to yourself." Sherry taunted. She was tough, Jake knew that. But she wasn't as tough as she thought she was. "

The mercenary offered a chuckle, "What makes you think you're my type?" That's right. The only way to make a woman feel vulnerable was to make her feel self-conscious. But why did he want her to think she wasn't? She was ruthless, but it was only because she was under the impression that Jake was this horrible person who didn't care about anyone but himself.

But maybe he was. That was the scary thing.

His heart was hardened by the losses he had to deal with at a young age, and soon enough, money was the only thing that could make him happy- no. He could never be truly happy. That void in his heart could only be filled for a short amount of time before the money ran out. It was a vicious cycle, repeating over and over again.

Jake's face fell, letting go of Sherry as he stepped away to sit down in his spot. He looked away from her. Sherry caught that look in his eye, that look of hurt. It was the same kind of look she saw in her own eyes when she looked in the mirror.

The blonde stood there with a sympathetic look on her face, staring at the mercenary who had almost crumbled right in front of her. She pressed her lips together, eyes searching the ground. She didn't mean what she said- not a single word. She wasn't even sure if she meant what she said back in Edonia, about how all mercenaries were the same.

This one, he seemed different. Her eyes looked back to Jake, who still wouldn't look at her.

"Jake, I-" Sherry was cut off by a jerk of the aircraft, sending her stumbling off her feet and onto the ground.

The mercenary was kicked into high gear, standing up as his attention was brought to the pilot at the front, "What the hell was that?!" He exclaimed.

"I don't know!" The pilot answered, trying to maneuver the aircraft, "I think we've been hit by something!"

Jake scoffed, shaking his head as he offered Sherry a hand, "Just great." He mouthed to himself.

Another loud burst sent the two to the ground again, and this time, flames came bursting through the metal sleets. "We're going to go down!" Sherry interjected.

The mercenary looked around, grabbing a bag, "Looks like we're going to need this."

"You two, you need to jump!" The BSAA soldier cried out.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Jake said as he grabbed Sherry hurling the two of them off the aircraft, waiting before deploying the parachute. The ground was roughly 500 feet below them when the aircraft exploded, killing whoever was inside.

A piece of shrapnel came down onto the parachute, cutting a large tear into the fabric as they lowered altitude at a great speed. The earth was headed fast towards them, and Jake braced themselves for impact.

The two of them landed hard onto the snow, but thankfully the snow broke their fall, for the most part. Jake thought that he might have sprained his wrist, but it was nothing that he was going to mention to Sherry.

He forced himself onto his knees as he looked over to the blonde who was laying underneath him. Jake moved off her until he was in the sitting position, "You alright?" He asked.

Sherry rubbed her head, sitting up as well. "Yeah, I'm alright." As she spoke, Jake was standing up, offering her his hand so she could stand. Once she was on her feet, a loud noise rang throughout the blistering winter air. It was deafening.

The mercenaries ears were ringing from the sudden noise, and he looked around to see what it was. He was horrified when he looked at Sherry.

The blonde stood there with a pained expression on her face. Her eyes looked down at her chest, spotting blood seeping from an exit wound from a gunshot. Jake's eyes, in shock, stared past her shoulder to see a Juavo.

Quickly, he pulled out his pistol and shot the Juavo, probably more times than he had needed to before it burst into sparkling ashes.

Sherry's hand went up to her chest, blooding spilling through her fingertips as she began falling to her knees.

Jake was quick to catch her, "Sherry!" He called, his hands grabbing her from under her arms as he brought himself down with her, "It doesn't even look bad. You'll be fine." He wasn't even sure if he was trying to convince her, or himself.

She was quiet, grunting in pain while her hand was still at her chest. With a quick breath, she lurched forward, and all Jake could see was her back. The entry wound looked bad, and it was bleeding a lot. It was no doubt that she was going to bleed to death.

_Damn it... What do I do? _

Just then, he saw something unbelievable He thought that maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. The wound was slowly, but surely closing up. Sherry made cries of pain, and Jake couldn't help but back away.

When the healing process ended, the blonde collapsed, and let out a huge sigh.

The mercenary raised his hand, staring at Sherry with a bewildered expression, "What the hell?"


	5. Chapter V: Survive the Storm

Chapter Five

Survive the Storm

"What the hell?" Jake had said briefly before realizing that Sherry wasn't entirely human. No one could heal with that speed. She had to be some kind of super-human or something.

The blonde sighed, reaching for her chest again as the wound finished healing, "Long story..." She said in a tired voice.

He stood up, feeling the warmth of the flames that surrounded them from the aircraft that had crashed just a few minutes ago, "Yeah, well, maybe its your blood they should be testing for vaccines." The mercenary said. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say, but it was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

Her eyes looked up from the blood-stained snow from underneath her, her eyes filled with despair, "They already did." Jake shot her a look, "More than I can stand."

This girl... Her blood was important, too? But how? Jake grasped his injured wrist, the muscles throbbing from the sprain. He ignored it, shaking his head as he offered her his good hand, "Come on." The mercenary glanced past Sherry, realizing how blistering cold it was. The winds were harsh and the snowflakes were hitting his face. Sherry followed his gaze when she spotted a cabin just in the distance.

"We'll take shelter there," She told him, "There's no way we're getting anywhere in this blizzard." The blonde brushed off her leggings before stepping in the direction of the cabin.

Jake was just now trying to get used to the thought that maybe he wasn't the only one with special blood, but his blood was the only link to saving the world from the C-Virus. From what she had said, it seemed like Sherry had endured many tests. He almost felt bad for her. Someone with as much ambition and courage as her, in a testing lab all day while people performed tests on her blood. All that poking and probing. It must have been awful.

"I've been sent the rendezvous coordinates. It's not far from here. We'll stay here for the night, and leave in the morning." Sherry said once the two of them were inside the cabin. The mercenary picked up a chair, tearing it apart as he attempted to light a fire. He brought out a lighter from his pocket and lit the broken pieces of wood on fire, lighting up the room in a dim orange light.

The storm outside wasn't seeming to let up, and Sherry didn't seem like she wanted to talk, either. To say the least, it was incredibly awkward. Jake seated himself on the table, opening and closing his lighter as Sherry paced around the cabin. It was making Jake uneasy, and he could tell her nerves were building up, as well. Jake didn't think Sherry's idea of a mission was to spend the night with someone she couldn't stand. After all, Jake was a waste of oxygen. He scoffed silently to himself when he remembered the harsh words Sherry said to him earlier on the aircraft.

The blonde spoke up, her voice barely audible against the sounds of the crackling wood, "Jake, listen... What I said earlier on the plane-"

"Don't worry about it." He interrupted, opening his lighter once again. She was quiet, and he flicked the lighter shut with his good hand.

This didn't seem to satisfy her, "No, Jake... You don't understand."

Jake was starting to get irritated, "You know what? I'm not interested in your apologies. You know what you said was true, and I accept that, alright?" He was still stationary on the table, and Sherry seemed to of stopped pacing around. Somehow, this made him more nervous.

She glanced down at the ground, eyes glancing to the side by the fire. Her silence satisfied him, and he went to open his lighter again, but another jolt of pain surged up his arm, and he flinched unexpectedly. This caught Sherry's attention.

"What's wrong?" Sherry inquired, stepping forward.

The mercenary, grabbing his wrist and turning a cold shoulder to her, only grumbled in response, "It's nothing."

It was almost like she didn't even hear him, "Let me see," she said quietly, reaching for his wrist. He jerked away, but Sherry was persistent. She gently took off his glove, examining his swollen wrist. Jake watched her hands, touching his skin with grace, careful not to cause him any pain. He brows pulled together at the sight. "It's swollen." Sherry commented.

Jake swallowed, unmoving.

"Does this hurt?" She asked, moving her fingers to a different area. That familiar surge of pain went up his arm again.

The mercenary flinched, "God damnit, yes it does!"

Sherry's mouth formed into a frown, sneering at him. It was a look that didn't suit her, "Don't be so stubborn!" She scolded, "I'm only trying to help." One hand stayed on his, while the other reached in her pocket, pulling out a bandage. Once she began wrapping his wrist, she spoke up, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, whether you believe me or not. I was wrong for assuming that you were just like any other mercenary."

The redhead frowned, looking away- as if he was embarrassed.

"You're not like the others, Jake." She continued, despite his lack of communication. "I don't know what it is, but..." Her voice trailed off once she finished, and Jake's fingers wrapped around hers, padding them gently. Sherry's eyes darted up to his face, who was giving her his signature smirk.

"You can quit with all the sap, okay?" He commented, "It's not my style."

Just when Sherry was about to protest, Jake hopped off the table, sombering to the other side of the room as he slumped against the wall, sliding down as he came to a sitting position. It was strange, just earlier today, Sherry hated everything about him. Now, she was trying to win his friendship? What was this? Was this her way of apologizing? But what for? She was right, what she said about him. It wasn't like she was lying. Jake _was_ a bad person. He _was_ a waste of space.

But Sherry wasn't going to quit. She turned around, sitting down next to him. He sighed quietly.

"Can I ask you something?" She inquired, her eyes looking over to him.

Jake offered a smirk, "If you aren't going to yell at me anymore, then sure."

Her icy blue eyes wandered to the left, then to the right, then back to the left again, "That scar on your face..." As soon as the word 'scar' came out of her mouth, Jake's heart sunk into his stomach, "How did you get it?" When he didn't answer right away, Sherry quickly interjected, "I mean, if it's too personal-"

"It's fine." Jake reassured her, leaning his head back against the wall as he stared up at the ceiling, "Three years ago, I thought I was gonna die in the jungles of South America. Enemy had us surrounded. Before I knew it, everyone on my team was dead. I had lost my gun in the scramble..." He paused, pursing his lips together at the memory, "Then, this bastard comes at me with a knife. Probably thought I wasn't even worth a bullet."

Sherry blinked, listening intently to what he had to say.

"Dying from a bullet is one thing, but to a knife? It's a _bitch_."

The blonde fidgeted in her spot, "It's kinda what you signed up for, isn't it?"

Jake chuckled darkly, "I guess you're right." He turned himself towards her, facing the fire, "Now it's my turn to ask the questions. You wanna tell me what the hell I saw back there?"

She sighed, almost like she knew this question was coming sooner or later, "My dad was a scientist." Sherry began, "He was running tests on a virus, and I was exposed. Luckily, I was treated with the vaccine before it was too late. But, the virus adjusted and adapted... It's been a part of me ever since." Her eyes stared past Jake's shoulder, "My father was so consumed with his work, that he injected himself with the G-Virus. He had mutated so much, that he was barely recognizable."

Quietly, Jake nudged himself closer to her, a sympathetic look in his eyes, "I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Sherry said with a smile, "Anyway, I didn't walk away from it empty-handed."

"Yeah, I mean, you got superpowers."

The blonde frowned, "That's not what I meant. The friends I made- Leon and Claire. They're the best friends I could ever have." After she spoke, Jake looked away, almost in shame. She leaned to the side, trying to catch Jake's gaze, "They saved me."

Forcibly, he looked back at her, blinking once. Friends. Those were people that Jake lacked in his life. Ever since he was a teenager, he didn't have any friends. No one that truly cared about him. It wasn't like Sherry was going to be his friend. Who in the right mind would want to be friends with a man like him? Especially a woman like Sherry- She deserved better than that.

"Looks like you're quite the lucky girl." Jake commented, almost spitefully.

As the agent smiled silently to herself, she closed her eyes beginning to nod off to sleep. The warmth of the fire, the serenity of the winter outside, it was all so peaceful. Before Jake could speak up again, he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder. Confused, her glanced to where Sherry was sitting, and she was quietly asleep, mouth slightly agape, cheeks flushed red. He couldn't help but huff out a silent laugh as he looked down at his lap, eyeing his bandaged wrist. The mercenary smiled to himself as he ran his thumb over the bandages, leaning his head back against the wall.

"Thanks, supergirl." He mumbled before closing his eyes, falling asleep.


	6. Chapter VI: A Judgement Call

Chapter Six

A Judgement Call

Jake was slowly awakened as he felt the slow shakes of footsteps below. His eyes opened, looking around the room. The sun was just about to rise over the horizon, and his ears caught hint of people outside the cabin. A lot of them. Including a particular BOW that they had lost back in Edonia.

He pulled his eyebrows together, jolting himself awake as he grabbed hold of Sherry, who was still asleep on his shoulder and pushed himself on top of her as gunfire came showering into the cabin. Sherry, who was now wide awake, looked up at Jake in shock.

"Looks like we've got a bunch of party crashers." The mercenary murmured as he pushed himself up onto his feet, heading to the window which was now broken, leaking in the bitter cold air from outside. Sherry soon followed, manning the other side of the window. He caught gazes with her as he cocked his gun, "This cabin is invitation only."

Following his words, he pointed his gun out of the window as he began shooting at the Juavo that surrounded the cabin. There, he spotted the Ustanak that was hunting him back in Edonia. "Shit." He hissed to himself silently.

"Jake! It's him!" Sherry called, grabbing the younger male's wrist as she dragged him to the opposite end of the cabin, "We have to get out of here. There's no way we can hold all of them off." There was a rug, and she swiped it away, revealing a trap door underneath it.

The mercenary raised a brow, "Lucky guess, supergirl." He teased, opening the hatch and jumping inside, the blonde following shortly after and closed the door. She landed just in front of Jake, and his hands went to her waist, holding her up. Her eyes looked up at him, only to avert away within the same second.

"Come on." She urged, walking away, "They'll probably find this place soon enough. We need to get some distance."

Lucky enough, the hatch lead to an underground tunnel. Wherever this tunnel lead, it had to be far away from the Ustanak and those Juavo. The two were in a jog for about ten minutes, and they had to stop to catch their breath, slowing to a walk. Sherry looked over her shoulder, "Looks like we lost them for now."

Jake sighed, "It was probably that asshole who shot down our aircraft." He commented, referring to Ustanak.

"Probably." She agreed, her hands going to her upper arms. The tunnels were quiet, and dark, luckily Sherry had her light on her earpiece. "How's your wrist?" Sherry asked sheepishly.

The mercenary, having completely forgot about his wrist, shrugged her off, "It's fine."

All thanks to her, anyway.

"Good," She said in a thankful tone. Her eyes darted forward, spotting some light coming from the surface, "Hey, look!" Sherry cried out, speeding up to a jog as she approached the light.

Jake followed after her as the tunnel came to a ramp, heading up towards the surface. Soon enough, the two were engulfed in the bright light of the sun reflecting from the snow onto their faces. With squinted eyes, Jake raised his hand to shield his face from the light.

"Look, there's the rendezvous point." Sherry pointed down to a small town in the distance. She turned to Jake, with a warm look to her face, "We made it, Jake."

Just when Jake was about to open his mouth, he heard a gun cock back, and his arm hit Sherry's chest, holding her coat as he thrusted her back as a bullet zoomed past her face. "Get down!" He exclaimed, pulling out his gun as he began shooting.

"They've found us!" Sherry cried, "But how?!" She was about to pull out her gun, when she spotted a large mass next to her. Her ice blue eyes widened when she realized it was Ustanak. "-Jake, run!"

Her loud scream was heard to Jake's ears, and just when he turned to look at Sherry, Ustanak had swung his mechanical arm and hit her hard, sending her flying in the air, hitting the snow, seemingly unconscious. He went to point his gun, but a bullet came, knocking his gun out of his hand and into the snow. Before he knew it, Ustanak was already in front of him, and the creature swung its arm and hit him in the back, sending Jake face first into the snow.

In the midst of fighting for his consciousness, Jake looked to Sherry, who was lying on the ground just several feet in front of him, "Come on, supergirl..." He grunted, trying to get up. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a slender woman in a blue dress approaching him. Once he realized who she was, Jake couldn't help but laugh.

It was the woman from Edonia who had given him and all the other mercenaries those 'energy boosters.' Who knew such an attractive woman could be behind something so sinister?

"Those shots of yours pack one hell of a punch, lady." Jake groaned.

The mysterious woman knelt down in front of him, resting her arms on her knees, "Well, if it isn't Wesker junior." She said in her smooth voice.

Confused, Jake only shook his head, "Wesker? You lost me."

"Albert Wesker was a complete imbecile who tried to destroy the world." She answered, turning her head to stare into Jake's eyes. She smiled with her glossy lips before continuing, "He was also your father."

"-Don't listen to her, Jake!" Sherry cried out, only to be cut off from her own surges of pain.

The mercenary scrunched his face, trying to get up once he heard Sherry's voice. Ustanak's foot came down on his back, keeping him stationary, "Sherry!" He exclaimed once a Juavo grabbed her arms, holding them behind her back.

Sherry looked at him, "No matter what she tells you, Jake, don't lose sight of who you really are! Promise me!" The blonde yelled as she fought against the grasp of the Juavo now holding a gun at her.

His eyes stared at her, bewildered. What did Sherry know? Why did she think that Jake was going to 'lose sight of who he was'?

When he didn't answer, Sherry only shouted once more, "_Promise me_!"

"I promise." He mouthed, more confused than ever.

The woman stood up, smirking as she motioned to Ustanak, giving him the okay to act on his own. Jake looked up, and the last thing he saw was Ustanak's foot coming down on him. Then the rest was blackness.

* * *

**_En route to China_**

Jake awoke with a splitting headache, opening his eyes to his surroundings in a blur. He went to move, but his hands were bound behind his back. It was dark, and all he could see was the light that came from the cracks in the doors. A slight bump in the road jerked him awake, and he shook his head with a groan.

"I'm sorry, Jake." Sherry's voice came from the darkness. His eyes darted in the direction of her voice, pulling his eyebrows together.

She was also bound, sitting just across from him. It appeared she had been awake for some time. "Come on," Jake said shooting her his signature smirk, "Don't beat yourself up."

Her blonde hair fell in her face as her head drooped down, "They're going to take your blood, Jake. And probably mine. And when they're finished with us, they're going to kill us. Along with billions of other people." Sherry's eyes shot up to Jake's, despair flooding in them, "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Jake was quiet, letting her words sink in. His eyes fell to the ground of the vehicle they were in, "We'll make it out of this, Sherry." He told her. She was about to speak up, but he cut her off, "I don't know how long it'll take, but I promise you we'll get out of this."

"But how?" She interjected.

He shrugged, "I don't know. But when the time comes, we will."

It was true. Jake had no clue how the hell they were supposed to get out of this mess, but all he knew was that it was going to take time. Sherry had to be brave, and so did he. It didn't matter how long it would take, all he cared about was getting out, and getting hsi fifty million, and to bring this to an end.

Jake smirked again, "Have a little faith."

* * *

**Author's Note**: This chapter is a wee bit shorter than my others, but I think it is satisfactory. I thought maybe I could add something in there between getting captured, and escaping the Chinese facility. I felt like something was missing there. I hope that you guys liked this chapter, and stay tuned for more!


	7. Chapter VII: Comme au Premier Jour

Chapter Seven

Comme Au Premier Jour

"Jake, darling, come in here." A familiar voice calls from the other room. The mercenary, now a young boy, turns his attention to the direction of the voice, following it into the dining room, where his mother sat smiling at him. Her long, red hair flowed down her shoulders with radiance as she turned her body towards her son. There, she sat on a bench in front of the piano that she prized greatly. "Would you like to hear mommy play?" She asked in her soft, graceful voice.

Jake, only five years old at the time, smiles big and rushes to his mother's side, eager to sit down next to her and watch her frail hands play the piano. Her hands begin playing. It's a wonderful tune. So beautiful, and somewhat sad at the same time. Her fingers grace down the keys, playing them all with grace and beauty.

His mother, his only beacon of happiness. His source of light.

Now, it was several years later. Jake was now a teenager, just fourteen years old. This time, it wasn't his mother calling him to the dining room with her sitting at the piano. Jake was helping her out of bed, so she could sit at the table as Jake played the piano for her. It's the same song that she had played for him all those years ago. The first song she had ever played him. The name evades him, but all he knows is that it's the most beautiful song he's ever heard. A song that reminds him of his mother's radiance and kindness.

But times were different now. His mother was ill, and her fingers couldn't move along the keys as gracefully as she used to. Her fingers, now, were skinny and fragile. Her vibrant red hair was dull and dry, but her smile was still the same, after all these years.

She was so happy that now, her son could play the piano just as beautifully as she could. Maybe even better.

Now, it's a year later. And the house where Jake grew up in is now empty. The piano is starting to collect dust. His mother... She...

The light in Jake's life was gone.

* * *

_**China: Four months later**_

The mercenary awoke, his eyes shooting open as he was suddenly blinded by the sheer bright light of the testing lab he was in. Everything there was white, including the trousers he wore. It was a little too bright for his taste. It was a long time since he had had that dream. It was almost gut-wrenching, making his heart ache.

Juavo were inside his room, coming in to transfer him to the next testing lab. This was it. The chance he was waiting for.

One of the Juavo shoved him, "Get a move on." It said, in Chinese.

Jake turned his head, smirking with satisfaction, "Sorry, guys." He says in the language, "But I'm checking out early."

_**Meanwhile, across the facility**_

Sherry Birkin sits in her room, awaiting the Juavo that were sure to come to take her for testing today. Her knees were at her chest, resting her chin on her knees as she listened to the dead silence. "Seems quiet out there," She murmured to herself as she picked up the remote next to her, clicking a button that turned on the radio across the room. It played the same rock music it always played. She was almost sick of it. Maybe for once, she could hear a different form of music.

Suddenly, the lights turned off, and a switch went off in Sherry's head.

"Jake..." She mused to herself, realization sweeping over her, "Maybe this is what he meant."

_**Meanwhile...**_

Jake, who had beaten the Juavo with his bare hands, smirked with satisfaction as he swiped the keys off of one of the Juavo, "I don't need guns to kill you assholes." He scoffed, turning to the keypad and swiping the card to get out of that room.

He sombered down the hall, making sure that he was unseen from the Juavo that prowled the halls.

"Attention! Attention!" A voice was heard over the intercom, "Two test subjects have escaped the facility! Permission to use firearms has been granted!"

The mercenary smiled, despite himself, "Looks like Sherry got the memo, then." He said, "I'm coming for you, Sherry."

It was a long-shot, but hopefully him and Sherry met up somewhere within the facility so they could get out of there. Once and for all, they would be free from all the poking and probing. Finally, they could be free. But not entirely...

Silently, Jake walked through the halls, until he came upon a room with screens featuring what the security cameras were seeing. There, he saw that familiar blonde, wandering through with her stun rod... Also with some Juavo on her tail.

"Shit," Jake cursed to himself, approaching the screens and searching through the buttons, "Hold on." With a push of a button, he saw that bullets came from the security camera he was manning, and shot the Juavo that were in pursuit of Sherry.

She looked up, spotting the security camera and flashing a smile, followed by a wink, "Glad you're on my side." Sherry offered, making her way past and onto the next room.

Jake smirked again, "Smart girl." He left the security cameras, making his way through. Once he went through a passage, entering a small room full of lockers. There, he spotted the blonde who was waiting for him.

"Jake!" She exclaimed, stepping towards him.

He smiled, just about to open his mouth, but was cut off by a certain... cut off. Sherry's breasts were just about to pop out of the small testing gown the Juavo had placed her in. Damn perverts...

Jake cleared his throat, averting his eyes. Sherry soon realized what he was referring to, and covered her chest, rushing to an open locker to shield herself from Jake's eyes.

Once he got the coast is clear, he looked back to Sherry, who was out of his sight now and started opening lockers. "Where are we?" He heard Sherry's quiet question, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"China," Jake simply offered, closing another locker when there was nothing inside.

She sighed, "Obviously... But, where?"

The mercenary opened another locker, this time, finding his clothes and stripping down. "Don't know, don't care." He didn't realize how close he was positioned to Sherry until he glanced to the side, spotting Sherry's bare back. He stared, swallowing a large lump in his throat as he tore his gaze away.

It was been a long time since he had seen Sherry, and being in this situation with her... barely clothed... It was frustrating for him. The feelings she gave him, right this second, sent chills down his spine that went down to his groin. He pursed his lips as he pulled the dark long-sleeve shirt over his head, pulling his arms through the sleeves as he made his way to the bench in the middle of the room to put on his boots and his suspenders, along with his gun holsters.

Sherry was quiet, closing the locker after she was finished getting dressed. She made her way to him, sitting down in front of Jake as she put on her shoes, as well. "Well, how do you suggest we get out of here?" She inquired.

"Beats me." He admitted, finishing the last tie on his shoe "I'm just making this up as I go."

"You're kidding me, right?" Sherry hissed, "After four months of confinement, you haven't thought of a single plan?"

Jake snapped, "Cut me some slack, alright?! I didn't necessarily have a lot of time to _think_." It was true. His thoughts were normally clouded by tremendous pain from the extensive needles that poked his body. Sherry must have understood, because she quieted down. He took a breath, "Look, if we're going to have any chance of getting out of here, we're going to have to work together." Which was something they didn't do very often.

"Come on," He offered, standing up and cocking his gun, placing it in one of his holsters, "Let's get outta here."

* * *

A half an hour had past, and they weren't coming any closer to finding a way out. They had found a secluded part of the facility, a place where no Juavo lurked, at least none that Sherry or Jake saw.

"So," Jake said, breaking the silence, "What'd they have you doing these past four months?" He asked.

Sherry sighed, opening a door and peering inside, "They've been testing the virus I'm carrying. And it was just as shitty the second time."

"Jeez," He murmured, stepping to her side and peering into the room, checking to see if it was clear. "I'm sorry."

The blonde stepped inside the room, looking around as she put her gun away, "Don't worry about it." She made her way to one side of the room, looking around at the various objects. There was a fancy rug, a bar, some pool tables, and a piano that was tucked into a corner of the room, secluded from everything else. Her blue eyes looked down at the keys, gently pressing two keys before stepping away.

It had been a long time since Jake had heard the sound of a piano, even if it was just random notes being played without cause. It was strange. He had loathed the piano for the longest time. Hadn't even looked at one since his mother had...

He pushed the thought from his mind, "Is that all ya got, supergirl?"

She folded her arms, turning towards the redhead with a smirk, "And you can do better?" Sherry taunted.

Jake frowned, averting his gaze.

When he didn't answer, Sherry began probing questions. He should have expected it by now, "What's wrong?"

Despite his sheer hatred for the piano, the mercenary found himself walking up to it, blinking once before sitting down at the bench. He raised his gloved fingers, pressing them against the keys as he began playing a beautiful melody.

Comme au Premier Jour.

The title of the song. He had finally remembered it. Perhaps it was the pain of the memory of the song that he had pushed out of his memory. But somehow, playing that song, his mother came to his mind. Her smile, that light that radiated from her every time she entered the room... That's what the song reminded him of.

Sherry, who was speechless, stepped forward, watching Jake as his fingers played the keys gracefully, like a master pianist would have. She sat down next to him on the bench, carefully watching him, but being cautious not to let him mess up. The song was so beautiful, that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

The song itself was not sad, but the way Jake was playing it... The sheer look in his eyes as those notes filled the room made Sherry's heart ache with the same pain Jake's heart must be feeling. It was heart breaking.

"Jake..." She murmured once the song was over, "That song..."

"Yeah, piano used to be a hobby of mine." Jake admitted, "I... haven't played in a long time."

"Why not?" She asked as she inched closer, "You're wonderful at it."

The mercenary smiled half-heartedly, bracing himself to speak of something he hadn't spoken of since the day it happened, "My mom, uh, she taught me how to play when I was little." He began, his fingers still on the keys, "She would always play for me, and then she got sick, and after a while, she couldn't play anymore. She would always ask me to play for her, and that song was her favorite one. It was also the first song she had ever played for me.

"That was when I started training to become a mercenary. It was the only way to earn money so she could get her treatment. It was necessary, and soon enough, the piano became something material. But one day, she..." Jake paused, forcing the words to come out. A memory he pushed so far from his mind because it was too painful to think of. "She was dead."

Sherry's hand went to her mouth, "Jake, I... I'm so sorry."

"Save it, alright?" Jake immediately retorted, "Don't try and tell me that you understand." He said with a scrutinizing scoff. He was going to change the subject, quick and fast. He had a question of his own that he had been itching to ask Sherry.

"They didn't say anything about an Albert Wesker, did they?" He asked, finally tearing his gaze from the keys and to Sherry's eyes.

He could tell that his question had caught Sherry off-guard, and she shook her head, trying to search for an answer- anything to come out of her mouth, "What?" She simply asked, dumbfounded.

Jake scoffed, getting up off the bench, "I'll take that as a yes."

"No, Jake, wait!" She called, getting up immediately after him, only to be stopped in her tracks when Jake spun around, his face inches from hers.

"Did you know that Wesker was my father?" He asked, "That he's the reason I have this special blood type? He possessed antibodies, similar to mine, and he used them to try and destroy the world."

Sherry stood there, speechless once more as she searched for an answer- any answer to give Jake.

"Here I was, thinking my dad was just a dead-beat who skipped out on my mom and I, no, no, no... He was just a fucking nut job who tried to destroy the world!" At his last sentence, he stepped away from Sherry as he swung his arm, hitting a glass, sending it flying to the wall, scattering into pieces. Jake's back was turned to Sherry as his hands went to his hips, staring at the ground, his breath heavy with rage. He felt a hand on his arm, but he didn't bother looking.

The blonde moved in front of him, "Your father's actions have nothing to do with you." She told him. When he didn't look at her, her hand went to his chin, fixing their gazes, "And eventually, you're going to have to take responsibility for your _own_ actions." Her hand then dropped from his face.

They looked at each other for a long time. Sherry's eyes were angry, but it was in the stern way, like she was trying to teach him something. But eventually, that anger faded from her eyes, and averted away. "You promised me."

"Sherry," He interjected, his hand moving to her arm, making her painfully aware how intently he was looking at her. Jake remembered that promise he made her. How he wasn't going to let what these people told him affect how he thought of himself. He had failed her in that aspect. But why didn't she tell him that Albert Wesker was his father in the first place?

She blinked, finding Jake's gaze, whose eyes were narrowed slightly as he stared at her. Although, the look on his face was comforting. Something Sherry didn't expect to find in Jake. After all this time, she had really grown fond of him, even after all the shit he had put her through.

After all, he was just Jake. A person who meant a lot to her.

Their faces were closer than Jake had initially thought, but it seemed that the space between them was growing smaller and smaller. Sherry's lips parted, blinking before closing her eyes.

But then, a noise was heard just outside the door, and Jake was put into hyperdrive. "Get down!" He yelled, grabbing Sherry, who was at a convenient closeness so he could pull her down with him.

"Damnit, they found us!" Sherry exclaimed as gun fire came into the room they were in.

_Yeah, aren't we so lucky... _

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, I hope you guys liked the chapter! In case you guys were wondering about the song, it's called "Comme au Premier Jour" by Andre Gagnon. It's a beautiful piece, and I think it would give the chapter that feel if you guys knew how the song went :) This chapter was a lot longer than my others, but I'm proud of it! Did you guys like my own twist? I also made their time in the facility shorter so that they could have a couple months to themselves, to progress my story :) Please leave a review on how you guys liked it! Thanks again for the support! :)


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